ORLANDO, Fla. – Orange County Corrections’ security guard services lacked a range of hiring requirements, according to an audit released by the Orange County Comptroller’s Office on Wednesday.
Orange County has a $5.7 million contract with Allied Universal Security Services, Systems and Solutions, which patrols the Orange County jail and Orange County Juvenile Assessment Center (JAC).
According to Orange County Comptroller Phil Diamond, the audit attempted to review hiring requirements forms for four of the 11 guards hired during the period October 2021 to May 2022. Neither Orange County Corrections nor Allied Universal could locate hiring requirements forms for two of the four guards. Additionally, numerous requirements on the hiring requirement forms provided were marked “pending” or the completion date field was left blank.
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The report finds that Allied Security didn’t meet the following hiring requirements, including:
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Failed to copy the driver’s licenses of workers.
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Failed to take employment history.
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Failed to administer physical and psych evaluations.
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Many applications were missing vital information, but the people were hired.
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Failed to enforce continuing education, such as child abuse spotting and suicide watch.
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Failed to enforce staffing requirements, including staffing a female guard at the JAC.
In March 2018, Allied Universal acquired G4S, the county’s previous contractor. A 2018 audit revealed the county had similar issues with past security, but that audit was for government buildings. News 6 uncovered that deputies put private screeners with G4S security to the test two different times and both times failed.
The audit also listed an action plan of recommendations for improvement, including:
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Ensure the hiring requirements form includes all hiring requirements.
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Review the hiring requirements forms to confirm all hiring requirements are completed before guards report for duty.
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Develop procedures to ensure that required refresher training is timely completed.
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Retain documentation of completed hiring requirements forms and training.
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Ensure that at least one female guard is staffed at the JAC at all times.
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Confirm that all guards assigned to an armed post hold an active Class “G” firearms license before assignment.
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Evaluate the current Performance Monitoring Plan to ensure it adequately evaluates Allied Universal contract compliance.
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Prepare written documentation of the Performance Monitoring Plan including key areas for review, procedures to be performed, timing, documenting and communicating results, and required corrective actions.
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Ensure completed review documentation is maintained.
Responses to the recommendations for improvement were received from both the Fiscal and Operational Support Manager and Allied Universal. Both sides agreed with the recommendations.
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